The Beacon Young Reporters!
12 Jun 2024
The Beacon Young Reporters!
Year 8 boys at The Beacon Independent School in Amersham took part in a thrilling journalist experience as they stepped into the role of on-the-ground news reporters as part of The Beacon Young Reporter initiative
On Thursday 25 May, The Beacon Young Reporter initiative took place which is aimed at helping Beacon boys to develop content creation skills and an understanding of current affairs as well as the media industry.
The day began with an editorial meeting, after which the boys enthusiastically sifted through newspapers and online news sources. They carefully planned, researched and wrote news stories on topics they found compelling, all linked to current global events with their own unique twist on the story.
Their selected stories spanned a variety of local, national and international issues, including the pros and cons of artificial intelligence, the newly announced general election, dangerous pets, Mount Everest, the pitfalls of VAR in sports, classic car extinction and an exploration into the tragic plane turbulence.
Some of the boys worked in pairs, whilst others worked solus. After choosing their topics, the boys arranged interviews to support their stories, they wrote engaging questions to prompt inspiring discussion and conducted interviews over the phone, on Teams or in person with teachers, peers or staff at The Beacon.
Some of the pupils were fortunate to interview some very successful people in the performing arts, sporting and movie industry. Highlights included interviews with:
- Theatre and Movie Director, Sir Nicolas Hytner, who owns The Bridge Theatre in London.
- Peyton Reed, Film Director, Screenwriter and Producer.
- New York Times Bestselling Author, James McBride.
- Huw Phillips, Professional Tennis Racket Stringer.
Through these activities, the boys acquired valuable skills in media creation and comprehension, all while working to tight deadlines to finalise their articles.
To read the boys stories and interviews, visit The Beacon website.
https://www.beaconschool.co.uk/category/bbc-news-reporter-2024/